CONTENTS

Research Notes
J.Res. ANGRAU 41(2) 153-157, 2013
CHARACTER ASSOCIATION AND PATH COEFFICIENT ANALYSIS FOR SEED
YIELD IN QUALITY PROTEIN MAIZE Zea mays L.
K. VIJAY KUMAR, M. R. SUDARSHAN, KULDEEP SINGH DANGI and S. MADHUSUDAN REDDY
Department of Genetics and Plant breeding, College of Agriculture,
Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad-500030
Date of Receipt : 21.02.2013 Date of Acceptance : 25.07.2013
Maize Zea mays L. is an important cereal
crop, next to wheat and rice and it is staple food in
many developing countries (Morries et al 1999).
Maize crop is of great significance due to its demand
for food, feed and industrial utilization. It plays an
important role in world economy and trade. Since
maize protein lacks two essential amino acids lysine
and tryptophan and protein deficiency is characterized
by many growth and health related complications in
humans. Therefore, considerable importance has
been given to Quality Protein Maize (QPM) breeding.
The material for the present study comprised
of sixty three quality protein maize genotypes
(numbered BQML-101 to BQML-163) that were
obtained from Maize Research Centre, Agricultural
Research Institute, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad. The
experiment was carried out at College Farm, College
of Agriculture, ANGRAU, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad
during rabi 2008-09 in a randomized block design with
three replications. Each genotype in each replication
consisted of a single row of fifteen plants with a
spacing of 75cm X 20 cm. Five representative plants
were selected at random from each line and
observations were recorded on each plant for sixteen
traits viz., days to 50 per cent tasseling, days to 50
per cent silking, plant height, ear height, days to
maturity, ear length, ear girth, number of kernel rows
per ear, number of kernel per row, 100-seed weight
(g), ear weight (g), shelling (%), protein content (%),
oil content (%), starch content (%) and grain yield
per plant (g). The correlation coefficients were
calculated as per the method suggested by Johnson
et al. (1955). Path analysis was worked out as per
method suggested by Deway and Lu (1959).
The Correlation coefficients between yield,
its component characters and quality parameters are
presented in Table 1. In this study the values of
correlation coefficients indicated that in general, the
magnitude of genotypic correlation coefficients were
higher than phenotypic correlation coefficients for all
the traits which implied negligible influence of
environmental factors and strong inherent association
between the traits. Grain yield was significantly and
positively correlated with ear weight, number of
kernels per row, ear girth, shelling per cent, 100 seed
weight, number of kernel rows per ear, ear length
and oil content, while days to 50 per cent tasseling,
days to 50 per cent silking, and days to maturity had
negative association with grain yield. The remaining
characters, plant height, ear height, protein content
and starch content did not indicate any association
with seed yield. This indicated that seed yield can
be improved by making selection on the basis of ear
weight, number of kernels per row, ear girth, shelling
per cent, 100 seed weight, number of kernel rows
per ear, ear length and oil content. The traits ear
weight, number of kernels per row, ear girth, shelling
per cent, number of kernel rows per ear and 100 seed
weight which had strong positive correlation with seed
yield could be exploited in breeding programmes.
Similar results were reported by Jayakumar et al
(2007), Hemavathy et al (2008) and Shinde et al
(2009).
Path coefficient analysis that partitions the
correlation coefficient into direct and indirect effects
was worked out and is presented in Table 2. Among
the characters studied, days to 50% silking, ear
height, oil content and starch content had negative
direct effect on grain yield and the remaining
characters had positive direct effect. The character,
ear weight had the highest direct effect on seed yield
and it was followed by days to 50% silking and
shelling per cent. The traits, ear weight and shelling
per cent with high direct effect also had positive
correlation with seed yield while days to 50% tasseling
had significant negative correlation with seed yield.
Days to 50 per cent tasseling had negative indirect
effects through days to 50 per cent silking, ear height,
email: vijay.kk410@gmail.com
153